vis-a-vis: obi agye me dofo

The hard touring West African stalwarts Vis-A-Vis helped propel K. Frimpong to fame as one of Ghana's most popular stars of the 1970s. On Frimpong's records they were usually known as the Cubano Fiestas, but Vis-A-Vis recorded a number of albums under their own name. Led by vocalist Isaac 'Superstar' Yeboah and featuring top players like Sammy Cropper on guitar, Slim Manu on bass and Gybson 'Shaolin Kung-Fu' Papra on drums, Vis-A-Vis were both a popular live act and in-demand studio musicians, becoming the de facto house band at Ghanaian independent label Ofo Brothers Records. Continental Records is proud to announce the release of the group's rare and essential 1977 LP Obi Agye Me Dofo. Briefly issued as an LP in the US in 1980, this is the first proper vinyl reissue of the album in its original Ghanaian form. The title track is very much in the mold of Frimpong's big hits and the eight minute Kankyema shows how Vis-A-Vis could lock into a propelling funk groove with Superstar Yeboah's soulful vocals riding on top. The three tracks on side 2 show Vis-A-Vis as masters of a spiraling, hypnotic Highlife. Original copies of this LP are scarce and in great demand. Along with the Frimpong albums it is one of the most sought after West African records from the golden age. This reissue has been handled with the utmost respect -- every detail has been given strict attention and care. The remastered LP has never sounded more direct, vibrant and timeless. Each LP comes with a free HQ MP3 download of the entire album and is packaged in a resealable dust bag.